Heel fastener



Nov. 10, 1942.

A. A. ROBERGE HEEL FASTENER Filed Oct. 12', 1940 INVEN+E|RZ W y @Me vv I 1 I L 41L Patented Nov. 10, 1942 Antonio Albert Roberge, Manchester, N. H., as-

signor of one-half to Wilfred A. LaFlamme,

Manchester, N. H.

Application October 12, 1940, Serial No. 360,959

3 Claims.

This invention relates to ladies shoes and more particularly to fasteners for securing th heels to ladies shoes.

It is the primary aim and object of the present invention to provide .a fastener which attaches a heel to a ladys shoe more rigidly than was heretofore done.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a fastener which holds the heel properly located on the soleof a ladys shoeprior to and during its attachment thereto. 7 7

It is another object of the present invention to provide a heel fastener which may be instantaneously applied without appreciable effort or skill.

It is also among the objects of the present invention to provide the heel fastener with a socket for the customary shank of the toplift on a heel so that the forcible removal of a tightly wedged shank from its socket will have no terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a ladys shoe, partly in section, which embodies the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section through the shoe showing the manner in which the fastener holds the heel in place before the same becomes attached to the sole.

Figs. 3 and 3a show the same part which cooperates with the fastener in the secure attachment of the heel to the sole.

Fig. 4 shows a toplift whose shank is to be received by a socket which is provided by the heel fastener.

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the heel fastener.

Referring to Fig. 1, the reference numeral l0 designates a ladys shoe which may be of any conventional form and has the customary outsole l2, insole l4 and slip-sole l6. Preferably interposed between the insole I4 and the slip-sole l6 are laterally extending flanges -|8 of a tubular member 20 which is preferably circular in cross section. A heel 2 2 of any suitable mate- -;rial, such as wood, is provided with a throughhole 24 in which the tubular member fits. The wall of the tubular member 20 is provided intermediate its ends with two opposite, inwardly projectingbeads 26 Which form a rest'or support for a steel ball 28, inserted in the tubular member through the flanged end thereof. Also provided in the wall of the tubular member, 29 near the beads 26 are two opposite holes 30. Insertable in the tubular member 20 through the flanged end thereof is a driver 32 of steel or other suitable material (see also Figs. 3 and 3a) whose one end is parted so as to provide two longitudinally extending prongs 3i whose ends are pointed at 35 (Figs. 3 and 3a). When the inserted driver 32 is forced or driven against the ball 28 and the longitudinally extending prongs 34 of the driver are adjacent the holes 39 in the tubular member 29, said prongs are deflected by said ball outwardly through the holes 30 and into the material of the heel 22 wherein they become anchored in the manner shown in Fig. 1.-

The thus anchored prongs of the driver 32 not only securely attach the heel '22 to the tubular member 20 but also securely retain the flanges l8 of the latter on the insole l4. Thus, the driver 32 performs the double function of attaching the heel to the tubular member and securing the latter to the shoe sole. If desired, the flanges l8 of the tubular member may be further secured to the shoe sole in any conceivable manner. However, this is not imperative as the applied driver 32 will, through intermediation of the heel, hold the flanges t8, and hence the tubular member 29, securely on the shoe sole. The driver 32 as well as one of the flanges l8 of the tubular member 2!) may, if desired, be provided with any desired marks (not shown) which may be aligned in order to align the prongs 34 of the inserted driver 32 with the adjacent holes 30 in the tubular member 20.

The non-flanged end of the tubular member 20 serves as a socket 40 for the customary shank 42 of a top lift 44. As the Socket 40 is in the present instance circular in cross-section and in order to prevent the top lift from turning on the heel, the socket 40 is provided with one or more longitudinal slots 46 which are to receive one or more lateral ribs 48 on the shank of the top lift. A worn top lift may then readily be replaced by a new one having the same shank.

The flanges t8 on the tubular member 20 may be integral with the latter and obtained by any suitable operations. It is, of course, fully withfit accurately into the hole in the heel which may be simply drilled therein in one operation with a conventional drill. If desired, the socket portion 40 of the tubular member may be shaped triangular in cross-section or in any other way to accommodate any particular top lift shank.

Thus, the present heel fastener secures the following advantages:

The mere insertion of a heel over the tubular member 20 on a shoe locates said heel, except in its angular position, prior to and during its attachment to said tubular member, thereby greatly facilitating the task of holding the heel in place during its attachment to the shoe and reducing the chances of misplacing the heel on the shoe to a minimum.

The present fastener attaches the heel to the shoe sole more rigidly than was heretofore done.

The applied driver 32 secures the heel to the tubular'member 2!) and, through intermediation of the heel, also secures the tubular member to the shoe sole.

The application of the driver 32 is instantaneous and does not require any appreciable effort or skill.

Due to the anchorage of the tubular member 20 on the shoe sole and the provision of the socket 40 by said tubular member, the forcible removal of a tightly wedged top lift shank from said socket has no tendency whatever to loosen the heel, as will be readily understood.

The tubular member 20 reenforces the entire heel to such an extent that the latter may be made of materials which are less strong than the materials customarily used in making heels.

The tubular member 20 may also be used with advantage without the driver 32, ball 28, beads '26 and holes 30. In that case, the heel is attached to the shoe in any conventional manner and the tubular member serves to locate the heel for its attachment to the shoe and to reenforce said heel, while the forcible removal of a tightly wedged top lift shank from the socket 40 of said tubular member has no tendency whatever to loosen the heel on the shoe.

I claim:

1. A heel fastener comprising a tubular member having at one end a laterally extending flange and in its wall an inwardly projecting deformation and a hole nearby, a steel ball in said member resting against said deformation, and a driver insertable in said member and having at one end a'longitudinally extending prong to be deflected outwardly through said hole by said ball on being driven thereagainst.

2. A heel fastener comprising a tubular member having at one end a laterally extending flange and in its wall an inwardly projecting bead and a hole between said flanged end and bead near the latter, a steel ball inserted in said member through the flanged end thereof and resting against said bead, and a driver insertable in said member through the flanged end thereof and having at one end a longitudinally extending prong to be deflected outwardly through said hole by said ball on being driven thereagainst.

3. In combination with a ladys shoe having a heel with a hole therein, a tubular member fitting in said hole and having at one end a laterally extending flange secured to the shoe sole, the wall of said member being provided with an inwardly projecting deformation and another hole nearby, a steel ball inserted in said member through the flanged end thereof and resting against said deformation, and a driver having at one end a longitudinally extending prong and being driven into said member through the flanged end thereof whereby said prong is deflected by said ball outwardly through said other hole and into the heel.

ANTONIO ALBERT ROBERGE. 

